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Council won't pursue business moratorium

Tattoo parlor was at center of plan to temporarily ban some businesses

After weeks of heated debate, the City Council on Tuesday decided to no longer pursue a temporary moratorium on certain businesses within mixed use zones.

Dusty Compton | The Tuscaloosa News

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 11:57 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | After weeks of heated debate, the City Council on Tuesday decided to no longer pursue a temporary moratorium on certain businesses within mixed use zones.

Mayor Walt Maddox made the recommendation to back off the moratorium during Tuesday's meeting of the council's Public Projects Committee, but it was the support of Councilman Kip Tyner, a vocal proponent of the ban, that pushed the committee to accept it.

Tyner also publicly backed away from opposing an Alberta tattoo parlor's plan to relocate in a new building along University Boulevard East.

The Tattoo Experience's relocation plan originally launched Tyner's efforts to further limit tattoo shops and other businesses that already are strongly regulated by the mixed use, or MX, codes.

“I'm not going to stand in your way any longer,” Tyner said to Todd Boling, co-owner of The Tattoo Experience. “If you can build a building up to current codes and standards ... then more power to you, and I'll be there to cut the ribbon.”

Boling thanked Tyner for his change of heart during the meeting. After the meeting. Boling said the councilman's decision to no longer fight The Tattoo Experience was welcome news.

“We're going to build a building that they'll be proud to look at,” Boling said.

He said work is expected to begin on the new building “as soon as possible” and that it will take about six months to complete.

Tuscaloosa's exploration of a moratorium followed last month's decision by the Northport City Council to impose a six-month moratorium on tattoo or body piercing parlors, pawnshops, title or payday loan operations, cash-and-go businesses, check-cashing stores, tobacco shops, adult bookstores, sex-item shops, fireworks stands and hand-only carwash businesses.

Northport's decision was a response to Tyner's proposal to ban similar businesses within the MX zones, which now limit the number of businesses that can operate as check-cashing operations, pawnshops, payday loan services, sexually oriented or adult-based entertainment stores, tattoo or body piercing parlors, title loan businesses, tobacco shops and vehicle repair services.

Out of concern that Northport's moratorium would push these businesses across the river, Tyner and the Tuscaloosa City Council began exploring a ban of its own.

“I don't think there's a benefit to the city by engaging in a moratorium,” Maddox said, noting there is no evidence that a “plethora of businesses” that fall within the MX regulated category will suddenly pop up in Tuscaloosa.

While the moratorium issue appears dead, the council committee did give its approval for going forward with a joint study with the city of Northport to explore the effects of these businesses on their surrounding communities.

Northport City Administrator Scott Collins has said that Northport is open to the idea. On Tuesday, the Tuscaloosa City Council's Public Projects Committee voiced support for using the same consultants who advised City Hall on regulatory improvements to the Strip in 2007.

Councilman Lee Garrison voiced strong support for the study and the committee gave its unanimous support to the idea.

The study's details and how much each city will pay for it remain undecided.

Tyner also supports the study to determine which — if any — businesses should be regulated, or banned, within Alberta and the MX zones.

“I'm just so passionate about Alberta,” Tyner said. “I want it to come back like the Alberta I grew up in.”

<p>TUSCALOOSA | After weeks of heated debate, the City Council on Tuesday decided to no longer pursue a temporary moratorium on certain businesses within mixed use zones.</p><p>Mayor Walt Maddox made the recommendation to back off the moratorium during Tuesday's meeting of the council's Public Projects Committee, but it was the support of Councilman Kip Tyner, a vocal proponent of the ban, that pushed the committee to accept it.</p><p>Tyner also publicly backed away from opposing an Alberta tattoo parlor's plan to relocate in a new building along University Boulevard East.</p><p>The Tattoo Experience's relocation plan originally launched Tyner's efforts to further limit tattoo shops and other businesses that already are strongly regulated by the mixed use, or MX, codes.</p><p>“I'm not going to stand in your way any longer,” Tyner said to Todd Boling, co-owner of The Tattoo Experience. “If you can build a building up to current codes and standards ... then more power to you, and I'll be there to cut the ribbon.”</p><p>Boling thanked Tyner for his change of heart during the meeting. After the meeting. Boling said the councilman's decision to no longer fight The Tattoo Experience was welcome news.</p><p>“We're going to build a building that they'll be proud to look at,” Boling said.</p><p>He said work is expected to begin on the new building “as soon as possible” and that it will take about six months to complete.</p><p>Tuscaloosa's exploration of a moratorium followed last month's decision by the Northport City Council to impose a six-month moratorium on tattoo or body piercing parlors, pawnshops, title or payday loan operations, cash-and-go businesses, check-cashing stores, tobacco shops, adult bookstores, sex-item shops, fireworks stands and hand-only carwash businesses.</p><p>Northport's decision was a response to Tyner's proposal to ban similar businesses within the MX zones, which now limit the number of businesses that can operate as check-cashing operations, pawnshops, payday loan services, sexually oriented or adult-based entertainment stores, tattoo or body piercing parlors, title loan businesses, tobacco shops and vehicle repair services.</p><p>Out of concern that Northport's moratorium would push these businesses across the river, Tyner and the Tuscaloosa City Council began exploring a ban of its own. </p><p>“I don't think there's a benefit to the city by engaging in a moratorium,” Maddox said, noting there is no evidence that a “plethora of businesses” that fall within the MX regulated category will suddenly pop up in Tuscaloosa.</p><p>While the moratorium issue appears dead, the council committee did give its approval for going forward with a joint study with the city of Northport to explore the effects of these businesses on their surrounding communities.</p><p>Northport City Administrator Scott Collins has said that Northport is open to the idea. On Tuesday, the Tuscaloosa City Council's Public Projects Committee voiced support for using the same consultants who advised City Hall on regulatory improvements to the Strip in 2007.</p><p>Councilman Lee Garrison voiced strong support for the study and the committee gave its unanimous support to the idea.</p><p>The study's details and how much each city will pay for it remain undecided.</p><p>Tyner also supports the study to determine which — if any — businesses should be regulated, or banned, within Alberta and the MX zones.</p><p>“I'm just so passionate about Alberta,” Tyner said. “I want it to come back like the Alberta I grew up in.”</p><p>Reach Jason Morton at jason.morton@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0200.</p>